


Self Care

by missberryisbest



Series: ~Fluff for Maf~ [5]
Category: The Magicians (TV), The Magicians - Lev Grossman
Genre: Fake/Pretend Relationship, Fluff, M/M, Only One Bed
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-30
Updated: 2019-04-30
Packaged: 2020-02-10 02:53:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,276
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18651442
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/missberryisbest/pseuds/missberryisbest
Summary: Quentin had never brushed his teeth so thoroughly. And then used mouthwash. And flossed. But then he realized that if he dragged it out any longer trying to avoid the inevitable, Eliot would know what he was doing. Fuck it, he thought, desperately, grabbing his face wash and lotion. This is just good self care. I’m definitely not avoiding the sexy man in my bed. Um, I mean, the regular man in my bed.





	Self Care

**Author's Note:**

  * For [kickassfu](https://archiveofourown.org/users/kickassfu/gifts).



The dishes were washed and put away, and Monica insisted they watch Brokeback Mountain. Apparently she felt she still had to show how okay she was with Q’s sexuality, even though she literally had a girlfriend herself. So El and Q were going to have to sit through the sex scenes with Monica and Rebecca  _ right there _ . 

Eliot grabbed one of the blankets off the back of the couch and settled in, before winking at Quentin cheekily and patting the space next to him. Q blushed, but he curled up next to the taller man.   _ Gotta make this believable, _ Q reasoned to himself, and Eliot just wrapped an arm around him gently. He had to admit, his head did fit perfectly against Eliot’s chest, and Eliot smelled really good. Yawning, he stretched and then snuggled in even closer. 

But then, oh god, the movie started. Quentin survived. Mostly. He made Eliot eat a shitton of popcorn with him so he constantly had to get up and leave to go make another bag. But then Eliot decided to fuck with him. (And Eliot had also had just about as much popcorn as a man could be expected to tolerate)

“Oh, we need another bag, my peach?” Eliot said, doing his best to look shocked. “Don’t worry, we’ll pause the movie. That way you don’t miss any more of it.”

Q protested, but Monica nodded and hit the pause. Then Eliot stood. “In fact, I’ll even come keep you company as it pops.” El continued.

“What are you doing?” Quentin hissed over the sound of the microwave.

“Look,” El replied “I’m sure it is awkward as fuck to watch Enis raw Jack on a mountain top with your mom in the room. But please, for one second, imagine how much worse it is for me  _ when you leave me alone with your mother  _ to watch it and you escape to make fuckin popcorn. I mean, I’m all ‘free the peen’ and sexually confident or whatever, but I swear she is watching me watch, and isn’t even looking at the screen.”

Quentin blushed, but then had to sigh and agree. “You’re right,” he admitted “I’m sorry.”

“Just for that the bet should be off, or I should win automatically” Eliot said.

“Oh no,” Quentin replied. “I may be sorry, but I’m nowhere near that sorry.”

Smiling, they emerged from the kitchen brandishing what would be their last bag of popcorn and settling back in on the couch. Eventually Quentin did get wrapped up in the story, forgetting his mom was there. He cried when Enis cried, and Eliot was right there, running a comforting hand through his hair.  _ Gotta keep up the act,  _ Eliot reasoned to himself, kissing Q’s forehead gently as Q sniffled into his chest.

\--

_ Well fuck,  _ Q thought. _ It’s bedtime. And there’s only one bed. Just one bed. For me. And Eliot. Eliot. And Me. Together. In one bed. _ He managed to change into his pajamas, but then froze, staring at the mattress and wondering what the fuck he had gotten himself into.

“Quentin, it is only as awkward as you make it” Eliot said, returning from the bathroom to find Q standing exactly where he had left him. “Go brush your teeth and take your meds.” El pulled down the covers and plopped in the bed, inching towards the wall. “I’ll be waiting for you when you get back” he finished cheekily.

Q grabbed his bag of toiletries and bolted, the sound of Eliot’s laughter chasing him down the hallway.

\--

Quentin had never brushed his teeth so thoroughly. And then used mouthwash. And flossed. But then he realized that if he dragged it out any longer trying to avoid the inevitable, Eliot would know what he was doing.  _ Fuck it,  _ he thought, desperately, grabbing his face wash and lotion.  _ This is just good self care. I’m definitely not avoiding the sexy man in my bed. Um, I mean, the regular man in my bed. _

_ \-- _

Eliot was pretty sure Quentin was avoiding him.  _ I mean, I smell good,  _ El thought, slightly affronted.  _ I’m wearing my softest pajamas. Anyone would be lucky to share a bed with me. _ But then Q burst back in the room, and Eliot’s breath left his body.  _ Fuck, _ he thought.  _ No one should be allowed to look that goddamn adorable.  _

Scrunching up his face, Q opened his mouth. And then shut it. And then opened it again.

“Yes, my dear?” Eliot prodded gently.

“Um, it’s nothing” Q said, blushing. “Just, you’re kind of laying on my side of the bed.”

El laughed. “A thousand apologies,” he said, grandly, moving to the other side. 

\--

Quentin shuffled out of his slippers and dove under the covers, shivering slightly. Then he relaxed. “Mmmmm,” he sighed. “Smells good.” Then he stilled, realizing he had just said that  _ out loud _ . Maybe Eliot didn’t hear, maybe he would pretend not to hear…

“Thank you” Eliot said, dryly, “I try.”

Quentin groaned and buried his face in the pillow.

At least twenty minutes later, Quentin was still trying to just force his brain to shut off. He was too tense, too aware of the heat of Eliot’s body next to him. 

“Jesus Christ, Q” El said into the darkness, “I’m not going to disintegrate if you touch me. You can relax, you don’t have to literally teeter on the edge of the bed. Get comfortable.”

Quentin flushed, but he let himself start to relax. Barely. Because it meant getting closer to Eliot. 

Eliot snorted, and reaching over, he grabbed Q’s arm and pulled him farther onto the bed. “There’s no way I can sleep if I am just waiting to have to catch you before you fall onto the floor” Eliot said, exasperatedly. 

So Quentin got comfortable. Which meant he got close, to the point where they were almost touching in at least four different places.

“Eliot?” He asked, after a bit. “Did you mean what you said at dinner, that you want to work with homeless kids?”

Eliot turned to face Quentin. “I did” he said, softly. “I was homeless myself for a bit, after coming out. My dad couldn’t deal and my mom didn’t know what to do. So I figured it would be better for all of us if I just wasn’t around. I just left for a bit. Didn’t really end up helping much though” He finished, clearly wanting to be done talking about it.

“That sounds terrible. I’m so glad you made it out okay.” Q said, turning, so that he could almost make out the taller man’s features in the darkness. “Why didn’t you ever tell me?” 

“I don’t talk about it much” Eliot admitted. “It’s really personal. Only Margo and Dean Fogg know. And now you”

Quentin yawned. “That’s fair” he said sleepily. “Thanks for trusting me with it.”

Eliot smiled, resisting the urge to reach out and smooth out Q’s hair. “Thanks for understanding” he replied.

“For what it is worth, I think you are gonna be amazing at it.” Q said, drifting off. “Destiny is bullshit, but you can take the crap you went through and use it to make other people’s crap less crappy” he mumbled.

“Thanks, Q” El said.

Q smiled and hummed, falling asleep.

Eliot watched him, barely able to make out the shape of Q against the darkness. When he was sure Q was out, he gave in. Reaching out, he gently grabbed a piece of hair that was in Q’s face and tucked it back behind his ear.

_ He really shouldn’t be allowed to look this adorable _ Eliot thought to himself, before drifting off himself.


End file.
